Recaps

Claire tested Qu Rong’s Netherworld Soul-Locking Hook and agreed to trade for it after learning it could capture and kill powerful ghosts without requiring a strong user. She offered Qu Rong a Seed of Wisdom for his son’s cultivation talent and requested an additional weapon against soul bodies.

• Claire used the false name Antonio while asking Qu Rong to demonstrate the Netherworld Soul-Locking Hook.
• Qu Rong released a Ghost King-level ghost, then used the hook to capture it and explained that the treasure could also kill ghosts and was not limited by its user’s strength.
• Qu Rong told Claire he wanted a way to give his son, who lacked cultivation talent, the ability to cultivate.
• Claire offered Qu Rong a Seed of Wisdom, which could give his son cultivation talent, and Qu Rong accepted.
• Claire asked for an item that could inflict massive damage on soul bodies, and Qu Rong agreed to provide one.
• Claire traded for the Netherworld Soul-Locking Hook and bound it to her soul, causing it to merge into her body.

Claire tested the Netherworld Soul-Locking Hook, then traveled to the Blazing Flame Plane to treat the Blazing Flame Orcs' Ancestral Spirit. After Claire passed the Orcs' mind-connection questioning, they accepted that she meant to help, though she admitted her treatment had only a forty percent chance of success.

• Claire used the Netherworld Soul-Locking Hook to destroy an Archmage-level undead and confirmed how effectively it bound and killed souls.
• Claire sent soul-healing potions and Magical Artifacts to the Blazing Flame Orcs, slowing the Ancestral Spirit's decline and raising their hopes.
• Claire traveled alone to the Blazing Flame Plane, where Del escorted her to meet the chieftain and three Sword Saints.
• When two Sword Saints questioned Claire's motives, Del proposed using a Mental Connection to verify her intentions, and Claire agreed.
• A Sword Saint connected minds with Claire and confirmed she was telling the truth about coming to treat the Ancestral Spirit.
• The chieftain questioned Claire through a Mental Connection, and she admitted she also wanted Blazing Flame Essence Ore and had only a forty percent chance of success.

Claire used altered memories to gain the Blazing Flame Orcs’ trust and enter the altar hall alone, then attacked the Ancestral Spirit of the Blazing Flame Orcs to search for his godhead. As the isolation barrier cracked and soul fluctuations leaked outside, the Blazing Flame Orcs mistook the disturbance for signs that the treatment was working.

• The Blazing Flame Orcs cleared the altar hall so Claire could treat their ancestor alone.
• Claire restored her memories, sealed the hall with soundproofing and a barrier, and attacked the Ancestral Spirit of the Blazing Flame Orcs with the Netherworld Soul-Locking Hook and soul-damaging powder.
• The Ancestral Spirit struggled against the chains and damaged the barrier with a blast of soul origin.
• Claire strengthened the hook, went to the altar, and searched the Ancestral Spirit’s body for the godhead.
• Del and the other Blazing Flame Orc Sword Saints sensed the escaping fluctuations and assumed the ancestor’s soul had become active because of Claire’s treatment.

Claire weakened the Ancestral Spirit of the Blazing Flame Orcs and extracted the godhead fragment from its brow, but he could not contain it or stop it from merging into his own brow. Meanwhile, Merlin kept the High Priest from returning to the Orcs' stronghold as the crisis unfolded.

• Claire found the godhead fragment in the Ancestral Spirit's brow and redirected the Netherworld Soul-Locking Hook to weaken it there.
• The four Blazing Flame Orcs outside the great hall mistook the spreading soul fluctuations for signs that their ancestor was recovering.
• Merlin trapped the High Priest in a typhoon vortex, then pursued him and delayed his return to the main stronghold.
• Claire used the Hand of the Mage to draw the godhead out of the Ancestral Spirit, leaving the spirit near death.
• The godhead passed through Claire's containers and defenses, then merged into his brow.

Claire used the Netherworld Soul-Locking Hook to suppress the Godhead Fragment that forced her advancement to the peak of the Archmage rank, then escaped the Blazing Flame Orcs’ base. With their Ancestral Spirit fading and the human army surrounding them, the Blazing Flame Orcs’ High Priest ordered their leadership to carry out the original plan.

• The Godhead Fragment pushed Claire rapidly to the peak of the Archmage rank, but its power began to tear her body apart.
• Claire used the Netherworld Soul-Locking Hook to bind the Godhead Fragment, regain control of herself, and escape with a Spatial Teleportation Scroll as the four Sword Saints entered the hall.
• Claire cleansed herself, changed clothes, used multiple teleportation routes to evade pursuit, and returned to Nafu City with the Godhead Fragment.
• After Merlin reported that the Ancestral Spirit had disappeared, the human army captured nearly all of the Blazing Flame Plane and surrounded the Blazing Flame Orcs’ base.
• The High Priest told the Blazing Flame Orcs’ leaders to proceed according to the original plan.

Merlin allowed the Blazing Flame Orcs to evacuate their city, expecting to take control of the Blazing Flame Plane. The High Priest sacrificed himself to curse King Norris before escaping with his people, and Merlin concluded that Norris was doomed.

• Merlin sensed the Blazing Flame Orcs using planar teleportation to evacuate and told Karl to let them leave.
• The High Priest confronted Merlin, accused the humans of greed, and prepared to depart through the Planar Teleportation Array.
• The High Priest sacrificed himself and cursed King Norris, while Merlin cast defenses to protect himself and the Six Archmages.
• The High Priest became a spirit body that merged with the Blazing Flame Orcs' ritual items, and the remaining orcs teleported away.
• Merlin stopped Karl from pursuing them and explained that the High Priest had become the orcs' new Ancestral Spirit and that Norris would die from the curse.

After recovering from the effects of the Blazing Flame Plane, Claire concealed her peak Archmage strength and went to oversee Nafu City’s knight recruitment. She ordered Hant to choose about a hundred candidates, including qualified newcomers, and said she would investigate their loyalty herself.

• Claire suppressed her mage-power fluctuations and deduced the Magic Swordmaster path to the fifth tier to disguise her strength as that of a newly advanced Archmage.
• After more than ten days in bed, Claire came downstairs, and Yuna told her that Hant was selecting knights at Mermaid Plaza.
• Claire flew above the unruly crowd and restored order by directing spectators to leave and young candidates to line up.
• Hant told Claire that nearly every youth in Nafu City had registered and that most candidates qualified after their physical condition improved.
• Claire instructed Hant to recruit about a hundred of the best candidates and to include qualified immigrants, saying she would investigate any concerns about their loyalty.

Claire held the knight selection finals outside Nafu City, choosing 134 youths and rewarding the top contestants. The event ended with the crowd cheering for Claire and failed candidates vowing to try again at the next selection.

• Claire and Hant arranged a large temporary venue outside Nafu City, and news of the finals drew a huge crowd.
• Hant began the finals, where contestants faced mounted exercises, sparring matches, and a courage test before the Wolf King.
• After the assessments, Claire selected 134 youths to become knights and gave the top three fruits that could help them advance from Bronze to Silver Rank.
• Claire awarded Owen a fine sword for taking first place and announced Gold Coin rewards for the other top contestants, successful recruits, and those who failed.
• The crowd cheered for Claire, while the unsuccessful youths promised to pass the next selection in six months.

After Nafu City’s knight force expanded into a full order, Claire visited the barracks to review the new recruits and deliver Blazing Flame Potions to help them advance. She left Hant to administer the secret supply, and he wondered how to mix it into their food without making it look like poison.

• The new recruits joined Nafu City’s knight order, which Hant commanded and which was divided into four Knight Squads.
• Claire visited the barracks, where Hant reported that the recruits were progressing quickly and could soon begin cultivating Battle Aura.
• Claire told Hant to arrange clerks through Regan to handle the knight order’s growing workload.
• Claire left Hant two boxes of Blazing Flame Potions and instructed him to add five or six bottles to the recruits’ food when it was ready.
• Claire warned Hant to keep the potions secret, and he wondered how to serve them without appearing to poison the knights.

Claire received a tear-stained letter from Irene asking her to come to the royal capital, where she found Irene exhausted and distressed. After Claire comforted her, Irene asked Claire to marry her.

• Claire recognized Irene's distressed handwriting and tear stains on the letter, then immediately traveled to the royal capital.
• At Duke Charlie's villa, Charlie told Claire that Irene had been waiting for her for days and had barely eaten or drunk.
• Claire found Irene in a room upstairs and comforted her as she broke down crying.
• Irene asked Claire to marry her and promised she would be obedient and learn whatever she did not know.

After Norris died, Irene sought comfort from Claire and confessed that she wanted to marry her to avoid being forced into a political marriage. Claire reassured Irene that she would protect her and urged her to reconsider marriage once she had time to think.

• Irene told Claire that Norris had died suddenly in front of her, and explained that the First Prince and Second Prince were now competing for the throne.
• Irene feared that losing her status as a princess would leave her vulnerable to being married off, so she asked Claire to marry her.
• Claire told Irene that their relationship did not depend on her title and that she should not rush into marriage to escape her problems.
• Irene confessed that she liked Claire, and Claire asked her to think it over after the succession crisis had passed.
• Claire promised that nobody would force Irene to do anything she did not want and offered her a place in Nafu City.
• Claire went downstairs to prepare food because Irene had lost weight and had not eaten properly.

Claire comforted Irene after the royal succession crisis left her afraid of what Vito or Keli might do, then visited Sophia to ask which prince she supported. Claire rejected Sophia’s choice of Keli and proposed that Sophia back Princess Irene instead.

• Claire prepared food for Irene, and Irene explained what had happened to Charlie and the Second Princess.
• Claire warned that either Vito or Keli might threaten Irene and Nafu City if he became King.
• Claire encouraged Irene to rely on herself, then left to visit Lady Sophia with a possible solution.
• Sophia admitted that she planned to support Keli because he was capable and had a better chance of taking the throne with her help.
• Claire told Sophia to choose someone else and proposed Princess Irene.

Claire persuaded Sophia to support Irene’s bid for the throne and then sought help from the Ansier Family. At the Tulip Shop, Sirian revealed that King Norris had died, leaving Claire with a possible opening to win over Shane’s father.

• Claire argued that Sophia should back Irene, offering his own support and appealing to Sophia’s experience as a woman; Sophia agreed to a preliminary partnership but wanted a stronger chance of victory.
• Claire went to the main Tulip Shop to seek the Ansier Family’s support for Irene.
• Sirian told Claire and Shane that King Norris was dead, news he had learned from the Blazing Flame High Priest’s final curse.
• Claire told Shane that Vito and Klee had begun competing for the throne and asked to meet Shane’s father.
• Shane explained that his second brother had clashed with their father over his closeness to Klee, and Claire recognized an opportunity.

Claire asked Shane to help Irene ascend the throne and explained that his father, Count Norton, was likely splitting the Ansier Family’s support between rival princes to protect the family whichever one won. Shane agreed to ask his father about joining Claire’s plan.

• Claire asked Shane to help Irene ascend the throne, saying Sophia had already agreed.
• Shane explained that his father and eldest brother supported First Prince Vito, while his second brother supported the Second Prince, Klee.
• Claire used an egg-basket example to suggest that Count Norton was deliberately dividing the family’s support between the rival princes.
• Claire proposed that Norton had arranged Shane’s second brother’s posting to Hill City and their public feud to make the split convincing, possibly keeping even Shane’s brothers unaware.
• Shane realized his connection to Prince Albert might also serve his father’s contingency plan, then agreed to ask Norton about Claire’s proposal that night.

Claire enlisted Sirian to arrange a meeting with Sword Saint Hubert, then persuaded Yana to support Princess Irene’s claim to the throne by promising to help her lead the Guen Family. Claire brought Yana to Sophia, who agreed to guide her, and left to check on Irene while joking that their allies should at least become dukes.

• Claire asked Sirian to arrange a meeting with Sword Saint Hubert and promised to offer him something that would interest him.
• Shane hurried home to verify Claire’s claims about Count Norton.
• Claire persuaded Yana to support Irene and promised to make Yana the head of the Guen Family.
• Claire introduced Yana to Sophia, who agreed to teach her, and told Sophia she had also found an ally on Count Norton’s side.
• Claire left Sophia and Yana to talk and went back to check on Irene, joking that they should all at least become dukes.

Claire secured Irene’s agreement to pursue her own worth and help her become Queen, then recruited Lady Sophia and Yana into the plan. The next morning, Shane confirmed that Count Norton had ordered him to work with Claire, and Claire received an invitation from Sword Saint Hubert.

• Claire asked Irene whether she wanted to remain carefree or realize her worth, and Irene said she no longer wanted to be an ignorant child.
• Claire promised to help Irene and stayed to chat with her before returning to Lady Sophia’s residence.
• Claire told Lady Sophia that Irene agreed to the plan, outlined how they would help Yana take the throne, and sent Yana home.
• The next morning, Shane told Claire that Count Norton had instructed him to work with her, and Claire sensed three Archmage-level mages protecting him.
• After Claire sent Shane to Lady Sophia, she received an invitation from Sword Saint Hubert.

Claire visited Hubert and tried to enlist his support for Princess Irene’s bid for the throne. She revealed a way that might help Hubert’s son Angus, then demonstrated a far stronger version of Sirian’s magic-and-sword technique, leaving Hubert watching closely.

• Claire told Hubert that His Majesty Norris had died and asked him to support Princess Irene, but Hubert initially refused to join a succession dispute.
• Claire listed Lady Sophia, Count Norton, the Guen Family, and Duke Charlie as Irene’s supporters and offered Hubert a reason to reconsider.
• Claire learned that Hubert’s sixty-three-year-old son Angus was still an Archmage, and Hubert asked whether she could help him advance.
• Claire said she could not help Angus advance to Archmage but offered another path.
• Sirian demonstrated an icy-spike attack, then Claire used his greatsword to unleash a much larger attack that shattered everything within seven meters.

Claire persuaded Hubert to support Irene by demonstrating the Magic Swordmaster path and explaining how it could benefit Angus and the Golden Lion Family. Hubert agreed to support Irene, and Claire secured his promise not to share the path beyond his family before setting out to visit Archmage Merlin's household.

• Claire demonstrated the Magic Swordmaster path and explained its strengths, limitations, and potential for Angus.
• Hubert agreed to support Irene, saying he was persuaded by Claire and would have backed her if she were royal.
• Claire revealed that she had advanced to Archmage level at seventeen.
• Claire and Hubert signed a Magic Contract restricting the Magic Swordmaster path to the Golden Lion Family.
• Claire asked Sirian to teach Angus the path and announced that she would visit Archmage Merlin's household next.

Yana used information Claire, Shane, and Sophia gathered to win the Guen Family elders’ support and take over as family head. After consolidating her authority, she joined Claire on a visit to Archmage Merlin’s home, where Claire planned to persuade Edith instead.

• Claire returned to Sophia’s home, where Shane and Sophia had investigated the Guen Family elders and passed the damaging information to Yana.
• Yana privately confronted the elders with evidence of their secrets and crimes, using threats and a Life Potion to secure their support for her bid to become family head.
• With more than half of the voting members behind her, Yana took the family head position in a surprise upset and, with Sophia’s guidance, placed her father under house arrest and sent her elder brother out of the kingdom.
• The change alarmed the First Prince and the Second Prince, while Vito worried that Yana would not support him and Keli sent people to contact her.
• Claire visited Yana that night and invited her to Archmage Merlin’s home, explaining that she intended to persuade Edith rather than Merlin.

Claire and Yana visited Edith to ask her to support Irene's bid for the throne, while Claire concealed his divine spark from Merlin. Edith agreed to think it over, and Merlin urged her to join Claire despite his agreement with Archmage Ivan.

• Claire and Yana met Merlin at his residence, where he noticed Claire had become an Archmage and mentioned his failed attempt to seize a divine spark.
• Edith came downstairs in her pajamas, congratulated Yana on becoming family head, and asked why they had come.
• Claire asked Edith to join their effort to support Irene's ascension, and Yana pleaded with her because her position depended on Irene's success.
• Edith refused at first because of Merlin's agreement with Archmage Ivan, but she agreed to take time to think.
• After Claire and Yana left, Merlin appeared and told Edith to join Claire, saying he believed Claire would become an Archmage Saint.

Claire gathered Sophia, Hubert, Shane, Yana, and Edith to pledge their support for Irene as the next Queen, and Irene agreed despite being taken by surprise. After Claire encouraged her to embrace the responsibility, Irene resolved to fight for the throne and protect the kingdom.

• Claire led Irene downstairs, where Sophia, Hubert, Shane, Yana, and Edith declared their support for her succession.
• Irene agreed to become a candidate for Queen and asked the assembled allies to help her.
• The group planned to make Irene the strongest candidate when Norris's death was announced, while seeking support from nobles and other factions.
• After the others left, Irene told Claire that the sudden plan frightened her and that she doubted she was capable of ruling.
• Claire urged Irene to trust herself and argued that she could protect the kingdom and its people better than her brothers.
• Irene accepted the throne as her goal and resolved to fight for it as her duty and a way to carry on her father's will.

At the succession ceremony after King Norris’s unexpected death, Klee and Vito prepared to compete for the throne. Claire challenged the claim that only the two princes could inherit, and Irene declared her intention to enter the contest; Grand Judge Joseph confirmed her legal right to succeed.

• Klee and Vito arrived at the palace, where nobles gathered in factions to support each prince.
• Grand Judge Joseph opened the succession proceedings and named Vito and Klee as the current candidates.
• Nobles argued over whether primogeniture or ability should determine the next king.
• Claire objected that anyone with royal blood could inherit the throne and presented Irene as another candidate.
• Irene declared that she wanted to compete for the throne.
• Klee questioned whether Irene could inherit, but Joseph confirmed that royal blood granted succession rights regardless of age or gender.

Claire persuaded Joseph to support Irene in the succession, and Irene openly declared she would become the kingdom’s first Queen. Sophia, the Guen Family, and the Ansier Family then backed Irene, leaving Prince Klee and Vito’s bid for the throne weakened.

• Claire confronted Joseph and revealed that he knew about Norris’s order to pressure Claire into joining them.
• Claire told Joseph to support Irene, and Joseph agreed after learning Claire was a seventeen-year-old Archmage.
• At the succession ceremony, Prince Klee and Vito challenged Irene’s right to the throne, but Irene declared she would become the kingdom’s first Queen.
• Sophia stood behind Irene, and Yana announced that the Guen Family fully supported her.
• Shane joined Claire’s side, then Count Norton backed Shane and the Ansier Family, prompting nobles to reconsider their support for Prince Klee and Vito.

Claire helped Irene reveal overwhelming support from nobles, Sword Saint Hubert, and Edith at the succession ceremony, giving her camp the advantage over Krie and Vito. After the ceremony ended, Claire’s group prepared to recruit more nobles and protect Irene from assassination.

• Norton, Hubert, and Edith stepped forward to support Irene, shocking the nobles and leaving Krie and Vito at a disadvantage.
• Edith clarified that she supported Irene in her own name alongside her friend Yana, not on behalf of the Merlin Family.
• Claire told Krie and Vito that he alone was enough, and Krie suspected Claire had secured Irene’s supporters.
• Joseph ended the ceremony after the standoff, and Krie and Vito threatened Irene as they left.
• Claire praised Irene, asked Sophia and the others to receive new noble supporters, and arranged for Hubert to protect Irene.

After Irene’s public declaration won her new noble supporters, Klee and Vito agreed to work together to eliminate her that night. Klee then confirmed with the Pope that the Church of Light would hold back Sword Saint Hubert, in exchange for Claire being handed over for judgment.

• Claire escorted Irene to the Charlie family’s villa and reassured her that she had performed well before the nobles.
• Pran apologized to Claire and joined Irene’s supporters, while most leading families remained aligned with the two princes.
• After hearing that nobles were backing Irene, Vito smashed his room and questioned whether he had chosen the right ally.
• Klee urged Vito to cooperate in making Irene disappear, and Vito agreed to act that night.
• Klee met with the Pope, who promised to hold back Hubert in exchange for Claire being handed over to the Church of Light.